How ZüriClean Quadrupled Their Leads by Switching from Ads to SEO (with ROI Breakdown)

From Ad-Heavy to SEO-Smart

ZüriClean, a professional cleaning service in Zurich, was spending over 3,000 CHF monthly on paid advertising between September and December 2024. Yet despite the spend, they were averaging just 19–20 leads per month. The cost per lead was high, and the conversion funnel lacked consistency.

That’s when they made the pivot to SEO — and the results have been transformational.

In April 2025, ZüriClean generated 83 leads organically, without a single franc spent on ads. With just 800 CHF invested in SEO services and backlinks, the brand not only saved money but built a more sustainable digital presence.

The Problems with Paid-Only Growth

Service	Total Spent (CHF)	Ad Leads	Avg. Cost/Lead (CHF)
Move Out	1,641.64	29	56.60
Sofa Cleaning	884.00	17	52.00
Regular	280.28	12	23.36
Mattress	113.60	0	–
Disposal	36.34	0	–
Carpet	78.68	1	78.68
Miscellaneous	345.97	3	115.32
Total	3,380.51	62	Avg: 54.52

• Cost per lead was very high (especially for sofa, carpet, and misc. services).
• Some services had zero returns despite ad spend.
• Lead consistency was low and unpredictable.

The Shift to SEO: What We Did

1. Website Layout Overhaul — Faster speed, conversion-focused, booking forms added.
2. Service Information Pages — Optimized, informative, action-driven pages for every service.
3. Location-Specific Pages — Localised pages for Zurich and nearby districts.
4. Keyword Research & Targeting — High-intent keyword targeting across all content.
5. Omni-Channel Presence — Google Business, social media, directories aligned.
6. Backlink Building (CHF 800) — Local, niche blogs and directories.

SEO Results: Leads Skyrocketed

Month	Total Organic Leads
Jan	68
Feb	83
Mar	65
Apr	83

April 2025 Leads (By Service)

Service	Organic Leads
Move-Out	35
Sofa Cleaning	21
Regular	13
Mattress	3
Disposal	1
Miscellaneous	4
Total	77

ROI Calculation

Paid Ads (Sep–Dec 2024)
Total Spend: CHF 3,380.51
Total Leads: 62
Cost per Lead: CHF 54.52

SEO (Jan–Apr 2025)
Total Spend: CHF 800
Total Leads: 299
Cost per Lead: CHF 2.67

Result: 20x improvement in cost efficiency.

Why This Works Better: Long-Term Growth vs. Short-Term Boost

Aspect	Paid Ads	SEO Strategy
Cost	High monthly burn	One-time/monthly low spend
Longevity	Ends when budget ends	Long-term asset
Quality of Leads	Mixed intent	High-intent (search-based)
Control	Platform-dependent	Owned property (website, content)
Trust Factor	Low (ad-fatigue)	High (SEO builds credibility)

Key Takeaways for Other Businesses

• Stop Over-Relying on Ads: They're expensive and volatile.
• Invest in SEO Smartly: With the right strategy, the returns can far exceed traditional ad budgets.
• Think Locally: Local pages and service-specific content draw in high-quality leads.
• Track Everything: Monitor service-wise conversions and build what works.

Final Words: ZüriClean's Transformation

ZüriClean’s journey from burning cash on ads to thriving on organic search proves that smart SEO isn’t just a marketing luxury — it’s a necessity. With just CHF 800 in investment, they saw nearly 5x the leads compared to a CHF 3,300 ad campaign.

And this is just the beginning — SEO compounds over time.